The Barton School soccer workforce hits the highway Saturday for the primary of two straight weeks away from the comfortable confines of Truist Stadium because the Bulldogs enterprise to the Blue Ridge Mountains for a pivotal NCAA Division II South Atlantic Convention conflict at Mars Hill.
Barton escaped with a 28-24 win at Truist in Saturday’s SAC opener after main UVA Clever 21-0 within the second half, leaving the Bulldogs with a 3-0 mark for the primary time since reviving the game after 71 years within the spring of 2021. The Lions, the defending Mountain Division champions, are 2-0 with each wins coming towards convention foes; nevertheless, the 15-10 win at residence towards Wingate in week 2 was a nonconference affair. Mars Hill opened its official SAC schedule with a 35-20 triumph at Catawba final Saturday.
Barton has misplaced every of the previous two seasons to Mars Hill, together with a 24-18 end result at Truist final September.
Tim Clifton is in his 28th season main the Lions, making him the longest-tenured head soccer coach within the South Atlantic. Clifton’s 143 general wins and 75 convention victories, coming into this season, ranked second all-time within the SAC. Chip Hester, who was the top coach at Catawba for 11 seasons, is in his fourth season as Barton head coach.
The Meares Stadium kickoff Saturday can be at 1 p.m.
LAST MEETING
Within the fourth sport of the 2022 season for the Bulldogs, Mars Hill constructed a 21-7 lead at Truist and held on for a 24-18 victory. Barton piled up 346 offensive yards to 288 by the Lions, who transformed 6-of-12 third-down performs to first downs.
Jordan Terrell ran for 96 yards, together with a 9-yard TD within the first half, whereas QB Jaquan Lynch was on course for 17 of his 25 go makes an attempt for 231 yards, together with a 40-yard TD to Kameron Johnson, who had six catches for 111 yards. Lynch threw one interception however Mars Hill sacked him 5 occasions.
Two years in the past at Mars Hill, the Bulldogs couldn’t cling onto a 25-20 lead within the third quarter on the best way to a 40-32 loss.
WHEN BARTON HAS THE BALL
Mars Hill will probably be like everybody Bulldogs opponent for the previous three seasons and make stopping Terrell its No. 1 precedence. The junior operating again at present leads Div. II with 582 speeding yards and 194.6 per sport after shredding UVA Clever for a season-high 256 yards. Terrell, who was an All-America honorable point out final season and a two-time All-South Area choice, picked up D2Football.com‘s Nationwide Offensive Participant of the Week for his work.
The Lions will current a problem for Terrell and the Barton offensive line as Mars Hill has allowed simply 103 yards on the bottom in two video games. Nonetheless, opponents have thrown for 523 yards and three TDs so meaning Lynch and the Barton receiving corp may have their probabilities. Johnson leads the unit with 223 yards and two TDs on 15 catches whereas Jacquez Durham has caught 5 balls for 191 yards. Isaiah Jacobs additionally has 5 catches for 67 yards.
The Bulldogs dedicated their first turnovers of the season final week with a fumble and an interception
whereas the Lions have pressured two turnovers to this point.
WHEN MARS HILL HAS THE BALL
The one Lion who made an influence in final 12 months’s win in Wilson that returns is receiver Malik Laurent, who leads the workforce with 13 catches for 167 yards. Quarterback J.T. Martin leads a balanced Mars Hill offense that has averaged 199 yards on the bottom and 179 by the air. Martin has accomplished 23-of-37 passes for 279 yards and a TD. Freshman Jon Gullette is the Lions’ prime rusher with 313 yards and a TD on 48 carries.
Barton’s protection has given up 202 yards per sport on the bottom and 144.7 by the air whereas forcing 4 turnovers. Inside linebacker Shane Perry leads the Bulldogs with 28 tackles whereas outdoors linebacker Dereck Barringer has 26 stops. Freshman DB Keno Jones and junior LB Matt Smith have 20 tackles every.
OUTLOOK
That is the primary sport of a five-game stretch for Barton that can run by the center of the SAC. The Bulldogs are nonetheless in search of their first win towards Mars Hill, which has obtained votes within the D2Football.com nationwide rankings, and one that may entice extra consideration throughout the SAC than any of their three to this point, together with every week 2 defeat of NCAA FCS Davidson.
Barton’s offense should be adaptable and take what the Lions protection provides earlier than it might probably get Terrell on monitor. Whereas Lynch struggled final week, going 3-of-13 by the air, his deep passes to Johnson and Durham allowed Terrell to get extra room to function, particularly on his fourth-quarter 63-yard TD run to present the Bulldogs again the lead.
As all the time Barton should win the turnover battle and restrict its errors however there’s no query the Bulldogs consider they’re now on even footing with most, if not all the South Atlantic Convention. A win Saturday at Mars Hill would additional solidify that notion.
